Am7♭5 Chord on Guitar
Am7♭5 is the A half-diminished (ø) chord — 4 notes (A, C, E♭, G) built from the formula 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7. Below are playable shapes across the fretboard, the keys it belongs to and the scales to use when soloing over it.
Am7♭5: Chord shapes (open & barre)
- open position
- fret 5
- fret 7
- fret 10
- fret 12
Am7♭5: Drop 2 voicings
- bass: ♭5
- bass: ♭5
- bass: ♭5
- bass: ♭7
- bass: ♭7
- bass: ♭7
- bass: R
- bass: R
- bass: R
- bass: ♭3
- bass: ♭3
- bass: ♭3
Am7♭5: Drop 3 voicings
- bass: ♭3
- bass: ♭3
- bass: ♭5
- bass: ♭5
- bass: ♭7
- bass: ♭7
- bass: R
- bass: R
Am7♭5: Shell voicings (jazz)
- R-3-7
- R-3-7
- R-7-3
- R-7-3
Keys that contain Am7♭5
Scales to play over Am7♭5
- A Locrian Mode
- A Locrian ♮2 Scale
- A Blues Scale
- A Locrian ♮6 Scale
- A Dorian ♯4 Scale
- A Altered Scale (Superlocrian)
Ordered from the most common choice. All of them contain A, C, E♭, G.
Other A chords
Half-diminished (ø) chords in other keys
FAQ
- What notes are in the Am7♭5 chord?
- Am7♭5 (A half-diminished (ø)) contains A, C, E♭, G — formula 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7.
- How do you play Am7♭5 on guitar?
- A common shape is x01013 (low E to high E, x = muted string, open position). This page shows more shapes, drop 2, drop 3 and shell voicings in the interactive library.
- What scale goes with Am7♭5?
- Good choices to solo over Am7♭5: A Locrian, A Locrian ♮2, A Blues.
- What key is Am7♭5 in?
- Am7♭5 is diatonic in B♭ major (viiø7), G minor (iiø7).